Baking & Snack - June 2006 - 82

June 2006

The Fat Paradox
Does formulating for lower trans fat content
necessarily force saturated fat levels higher?

BY MONOJ K. GUPTA
here has been a great deal of concern within the food industry that
the newer techniques for lowering trans fat in food products means an
automatic increase in saturated fat content. This is a fair statement in the general sense and must not be overlooked;
however, the innovative work of various oil processing companies, food processors and the development of modified composition oils make it possible
to address this issue. Today, food companies are making products that are not
only low in trans fat, but in many cases
they also have low saturated fats.
Fats and oils are an inseparable part
of making food products such as fried
salty snacks, par-fried frozen products,
fried snacks (donuts, honey buns, etc.),
fresh and shelf-stable baked products
and breakfast and nutrition bars.

STRATEGIES FOR SNACKS
Traditionally, partially hydrogenated
soybean, sunflower or canola oil has
been used in most salty snack foods.
Non-hydrogenated cottonseed oil and
corn oil have been used in frying salty
snacks such as potato chips. Frying tortilla chips traditionally calls for corn oil.
These oils are trans-free; however, the
preferred oil for frying tortilla chips in
the US has been lightly hydrogenated
soybean oil, which contains 15 to 25%
trans fat. Partially hydrogenated soybean or canola oil used in various fried
snack foods may contain as much as
45% trans fat, depending on the degree
of hydrogenation required for the specific application.
Modified composition oils are becoming more available for frying applications. These oils are low in linolenic acid
and, therefore, do not require hydrogenation for frying shelf-stable products.
Modified composition oils are currently
available derived from oilseeds such
as low-linolenic soybeans, mid-oleic

Research targeting the oil content of soybeans has already achieved commercialization of low-linolenic traits, with mid-oleic
next to emerge from the research pipeline.
Qualisoy, United Soybean Board

sunflower, high-oleic sunflower, lowlinolenic canola and high-oleic canola.
"Fatty Acid Composition of Stable
Liquid Oils" (Page 92) lists the fatty acid
composition of some modified composition oils along with those of the traditionally stable oils in the market. The oils are
stable even under frying conditions because of their low linolenic acid content.
When it comes to par-fried frozen
foods, depending on the type of product
being made, one can use standard liquid soybean oil. Of course, in instances
such as fried fish and poultry products,
oil oxidation has been an issue during
frying. Tempura items require a blandflavored oil, so liquid soybean oil might not

What About Palm?
In Europe, when a baker selects the fat for
making cookies or biscuits, the choice is
usually palm oil; hydrogenated shortenings
generally are not considered.
While palm oil contains no trans fats, it
is higher in saturated fats (51%) than the
oils from conventional soy (15%), sunflower
(12%) or canola (7%).
Because palm oil possesses enough
solids in its natural form, it does not require
hydrogenation for stability or to produce
desirable functional characteristics such
as creaming ability. Natural palm oil is
actually semi-solid at room temperature.
And blending with other oil basestocks can
reduce total saturates.
Palm's use as a substitute for a
hydrogenated shortening will increase the
saturated fat content of the finished product
by a few grams. But today, science recognizes
trans fats as much more harmful than
saturates. And if the European experience
can be translated to North American
markets, then consumers can be educated
to understand a "balanced fat" message.

June 2006 / BAKING & SNACK / 87

Baking & Snack - June 2006

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